Something Personal Ch. 03

"Breakfast," she whispered.

"Hmm?" His eyes blinked open slowly.

"Breakfast," she said quietly but firmly. "There's eggs and bacon and pancakes -" she stopped and giggled at his confusion. "And toast and coffee and orange juice."

"What?" he said, chuckling.

"I made breakfast."

"How many people have you invited to eat all this food?" he teased.

She snorted a laugh and tickled his belly.

"You didn't need to do all this," he told her as she dragged him to the table.

"I know, but I'm awesome," she joked. "Now eat."

"Better?" she asked when they were doing the dishes.

"Much better," he said, squeezing her arm affectionately. "I'm sorry again about waking you up - like that."

"It's okay. I just wish I would've handled it better."

He hugged her. "You're perfect."

---

"Interested in going on a shopping spree?"

Gavin looked across the street and saw Nina waving a piece of paper at him from her window.

"What's that?" he asked.

"The check from the insurance company. I'm supposed to use it for a new car, but we could always hit Vegas."

He laughed. "What kind of car are you going to get?"

"I don't know - my folks want me to come up and buy it at my dad's dealership in Bellingham," she told him.

"How are you going to get there?" he asked, an idea forming in his mind.

He could see her shrug.

"Train, I guess," she said.

"I could drive you," he offered.

"Really?" she asked dubiously.

"Sure. I could go to Seattle for a couple of days after I drop you off." He was amazed at how casual his voice sounded.

She was silent for so long that he was about to play it off as a joke.

"Well," she said hesitantly. "I probably wasn't going to go car shopping until closer to Christmas, instead of making two trips home."

"That makes sense," he agreed.

"We could go the weekend before?" she suggested. "You could still meet everyone."

"You want me to meet your family?" he asked in surprise.

"Sure," she said easily. "There's always extra people around, and the twins usually bring a straggler or two home from college."

Extra people. Gavin stamped down the bitter thought that he was nothing more than just another extra.

"It'll be a full house," Nina continued, chuckling, oblivious of Gavin's pain. "But my parents love it. And they wouldn't allow you to drop me off and head to Seattle, by the way. They like having our friends around the house. So you can totally rescind your offer now," she added jokingly.

Declining seemed like the automatic response, but he didn't feel like the same Gavin where Nina was concerned. One mention of her parents and siblings along with all the extra people over a holiday visit conjured up a charming image that he was inexplicably desperate to be a part of.

"When do we leave?" he asked.

---

"Daddy!" Nina ran into her father's arms.

"Hello, Peanut," her father said happily, kissing her cheek and hugging her.

Nina turned with a bright smile. "This is Gavin."

"Mr. Halleck," Gavin said, reaching out a hand, "it's nice to meet you."

"Gavin," Nina's father said with a smile. "Good to have you here. Come on inside, Mom's just finishing dinner."

Gavin followed them through the ranch style house to the kitchen, where a brunette woman was setting the table. She smiled brightly at them.

"Honey," she exclaimed, holding her arms out to Nina, who embraced her.

"Mom, this is Gavin," Nina said.

"Gavin, so glad to meet you," she said warmly.

"Thanks for having me, Mrs. Halleck," Gavin replied. "You have a beautiful home."

Nina's mother smiled appreciatively. "Call me Liz," she told him. Turning to her daughter, she added, "Go on and get settled, dinner will be ready soon."

Nina turned to Gavin. "Come on," she said, touching his arm lightly as she passed him.

She started to pick up her bag but Gavin beat her to it, grabbing his as well and following her down the hallway.

"Are you sure it's okay to stay?" he asked nervously.

"Of course," she said simply, looking puzzled. "I told you my parents would be offended if you dropped me off without staying. They like having our friends around, especially over the holidays."

It was the same thing she'd told him a few times once they'd made their plans for the weekend, but staying at her parents' house was still awkward. Am I intruding on their holiday celebration? Maybe what was really awkward was the thought of sleeping in the next room, without being able to touch her. He shook his head slightly and smiled at her.

"The guest room," she said unnecessarily as she led him into the room. "Mine is across the hall."

"Can I see yours? Or is that not allowed?" he teased.

She grinned and showed him the bathroom before they entered her room. It was feminine but didn't seem personalized, with a pair of twin beds set up across the room from each other and little in the way of decoration. Gavin studied the room and felt Nina's eyes on him.

"It doesn't seem like there's much of Nina in here," he said with surprise.

She shrugged. "We had all moved out by the time they bought this house. None of us really put the energy into decorating our rooms here."

"Do you have any pictures of your old room?" he asked, eager to see her childhood home.

Nina laughed. "Yeah, there may be a few thousand. Mom will love you forever if you ask to see the family albums."

"Good to know," he said. "Any other tips?"

"Are you nervous?" she asked teasingly.

"Yes and no," he admitted.

"Chin up, soldier," she said, punching him lightly on the arm.

Gavin had never met a girlfriend's family before, not that he'd ever really had a girlfriend – and not that Nina's my girlfriend, he reminded himself - but her parents quickly put him at ease. He spent most of the dinner just watching their interactions with admiration and more than a little longing. After dinner Nina's father showed her a list of cars she might want to test drive, and Gavin insisted on helping clean up. Liz watched him wash the dishes approvingly.

"Someone taught you well," she commented.

Gavin grinned. "My friends Diane and Bill took me in after my grandmother died," he said without looking at her. "Diane taught me to keep house," he joked. "She said my future wife would thank her."

He spoke without thinking and dropped the knife he was washing into the sink when his hand suddenly shook. Risking a glance at Nina's mother, he saw her smile knowingly, but she didn't comment. Gavin was grateful when she began asking him about his job, and he tried to reply normally while his hands still shook.

---

That night Gavin woke up to Nina crawling into bed with him.

"What -" he asked in horror, looking around for her parents, afraid they were going to be caught. His throat was dry and he began coughing, starting to sit up. The sheets were tangled around him and he became aware of the tension in his body.

"Shit," he whispered.

Nina was resting against the headboard, her arms already wrapped around him, one hand stroking his hair. He covered his face with his hands, shutting his eyes tightly.

"Was I screaming?" he asked quietly.

"Not really," she murmured comfortingly. "You made some noise, but it wasn't too loud. I don't think Mom and Dad heard anything; don't worry." She began massaging his scalp.

"I'm sorry," he said guiltily, his face still covered.

"Shh," she whispered, stroking his arm.

"You're going to get me in trouble with your parents," he said, his voice muffled by his hands.

"Don't worry about it."

Gavin dropped his hands but didn't look at her. "Regardless. I'm okay, you can go back to sleep."

"No. Come here," she said firmly, tugging on his body until he was resting against her.

"Nina -" he protested.

"You have to shut up and accept that I'm staying," she admonished in a light tone.

He chuckled. "Okay." He gave in to her warmth, wrapping his arms around her and nestling his head on her chest.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

He shook his head, causing her breasts to jiggle and they both laughed quietly. He looked up at her with a charmingly boyish grin.

"This isn't going to work for much longer, you know. Us lying here like this, without my baser instincts taking over," he said mischievously.

"Are you changing the subject?" she asked, her breath quickening.

He looked sheepish. "Maybe," he said, stroking her hip. "I don't remember it. But I'm okay."

"Okay," she murmured. "Do you want to talk about something else?"

Gavin's hand moved more insistently on her hip and he placed a soft kiss on her neck.

"Gavin," she whispered.

"Mm," he said in a small groan, running his hand across her stomach. "If that was meant to stop me, you should know that the way you say my name turns me on."

"Really," she said breathlessly with a small laugh.

"Mm-hm," he murmured, grazing her skin with his lips. She arched against him and moaned softly.

They both stopped at the sound and looked at each other, panting slightly, their eyes wide.

"This is a bad idea," Gavin said, clearing his throat.

"Yeah," she agreed, not moving. She giggled and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Christ, it's like we're high schoolers."

Gavin laughed softly.

"Do you want to watch TV?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm okay, really. Go back to bed."

Gavin dropped his head onto the pillow in frustration as she got up.

"We should've gotten a hotel room," he muttered and heard a giggle.

---

Nina was up early enough to see her father on his way out the door, telling him she'd see him at the dealership in a few hours. Her mother offered to make her breakfast before going in to work.

"Sleep okay?" her mother asked, giving her a strange look.

Nina nodded, watching her closely. "Did I wake you up last night?" she asked, choosing her words carefully.

Liz hesitated. "I heard something," she said slowly. "Your father didn't wake up." She looked at Nina expectantly.

"I had a nightmare," Nina said quietly, glancing toward the bedrooms. "And - Gavin heard me...he stayed to talk to me until I calmed down," she explained. She felt guilty about lying but felt like it would be a betrayal to tell the truth about Gavin's nightmares.

Liz's eyes softened. "Oh," she said in surprise, her eyes shifting away.

Nina recognized the look and smirked. "Jeez, Mom, what did you think was going on?" She laughed.

Liz's cheeks grew pink as she tried to laugh. "Nothing," she said quickly, chuckling. "Okay, now since I am genetically predisposed to relieve any awkwardness with food, eat. You look thin." She set a plate of eggs and toast in front of Nina.

"God," Nina muttered, amused. "I told you we're just friends," she added.

Her mother gave her a questioning look. "Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I'm sure," Nina insisted.

"Because I can tell -"

"Mother," Nina interrupted.

"I'm not meddling," Liz protested. "I'm simply observing that Gavin is a very nice young man who is clearly enamored of you."

Nina burst into laughter. "Enamored? Really, Mom?"

Liz shrugged with a smile. "You get along well," she speculated.

"Mom," Nina said plaintively. "I told you guys I'm not dating again. Anyone."

"Surely you don't mean ever," Liz said in astonishment.

"Probably," Nina muttered. "I don't want to go through all that again. I already failed at marriage once; why would I try again?"

"Honey, you didn't fail," her mother said sharply. "All relationships are a leap of faith and no one ever knows how they're going to turn out. And if they end, it doesn't mean you're a failure. It just means you tried and now you've learned something about yourself in the process - something that can only help your next relationship."

"Maybe what I've learned is that I'm not suited for it," Nina said bitterly.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're a wonderful woman and I'm not saying that because I'm legally required to as your mother. If you never try again you could risk missing out on something wonderful," her mother said.

Nina ate in silence, feeling her mother's eyes on her.

"What if I'm not willing to take that risk?" she asked quietly, focusing on her plate. "What if it doesn't seem worth it - to set myself up for that again? What's the point?"

"Nina, I know you'd be perfectly fine if you never dated again. You can take care of yourself and you don't need anybody," Liz said calmly. "But a good relationship isn't about needing them, it's about how they complement you. If you let someone know every bit of you and are rewarded with unwavering love and support, it's completely worth it. You just have to let yourself be vulnerable, which is scary. But you can't think of it as giving up your independence or losing a battle because you let someone in."

"Is that what I do?" Nina said, shocked.

"Maybe. A little," her mother said. "Be honest, don't you feel like letting yourself get close to a man - what you think of as relying on him - means that you're letting yourself down?"

"I guess."

"Well, it doesn't have to mean that," Liz said firmly. "It should be a natural amount of give and take, relying on and supporting each other without keeping score or feeling like it takes away from who you are."

"Why are you a gardener and not a therapist?" Nina asked suddenly.

"Why are you always so obvious when you want me to drop a subject?" her mother replied, grinning. "Just think about it, honey."

Nina heard footsteps coming down the hall and nodded quickly to her mother.

"Hi," Nina said, looking at Gavin affectionately. He was wearing pajama bottoms and a t-shirt and though his face was freshly washed, his hair still looked adorably tousled from sleep.

"Hi," he replied. "Morning, Mrs. Halleck," he added.

Liz shot him a look and he grinned self-consciously. "I mean, Liz."

Liz laughed. "Eggs and toast okay, Gavin?"

"I can do that -" he started but was interrupted by Nina.

"Don't bother; she'll win this round." She grinned at her mother and got up to pour Gavin a cup of coffee.

He laughed. "I concede to the Halleck women," he said, taking the cup from Nina. "Eggs and toast is great."

---

"You don't have to come with me to the dealership," Nina told Gavin once her mother had left for work. "I know it's not a fun way to spend a vacation."

"And miss the opportunity to impress your dad with my extensive knowledge of cars?" Gavin asked. "I mean, they come in both two- and four-door models. And in all kinds of colors."

Nina laughed. "Did you end up going back to sleep okay?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I did." He smiled at her. "I'm fine," he assured her. "Well," he went on with a devilish grin. "Mostly fine, other than being wide awake in the middle of the night, turned on and lonely."

Nina snorted a laugh. "Tell me about it," she muttered, looking at her food.

She met his eyes and their gaze remained locked for a long moment. She felt her breathing quicken and moistened her lips. Gavin's eyes darkened as he took in her mouth before meeting her eyes again. He cleared his throat.

"You are wicked," he said in a low voice.

Nina blushed and smiled. After breakfast she sent him to shower while she cleaned up, almost dropping a dish in her distraction thanks to the lingering frustration from last night. With a grin, she marched into the bathroom.

Gavin was just reaching for the soap when the shower curtain parted, making him jump. He was too shocked to speak. She smiled and took the soap from him, lathering it in her hands and running them over his chest, her breasts smashed into his back.

"Nina," he croaked. "Your parents -"

"Are at work," she said. "Now turn around."

She made an approving sound as he complied, her eyes devouring him.

"You have a gorgeous body, you know," she said huskily, running her soapy hands over him. "Your shoulders...your chest...your arms..."

She washed each area as she spoke, her eyes following her hands. She glanced up at him, looking into his eyes intensely. Gavin was staring at her, breathing heavily. She grinned, raising his arms to rinse off the soap and took first one, then a second finger between her lips, swirling her tongue around them before sucking them deep into her mouth.

Gavin's head fell back and a low moan erupted from his throat. Her hands were moving down his body, lathering his erection and giggling seductively when it twitched and spattered soap on her face. She spun him around to rinse him off and soaped his behind and legs, continuing to praise each feature that her hands were cleaning. Gavin turned again, letting the water wash away the rest of the soap, and gripped her face in his hands, remembering at the last minute to avoid her mouth. He nibbled her neck, teasing her ear with his tongue. He broke away too soon and Nina tried to pull him back, but he shook his head playfully and took the soap from her.

"Your turn, wildcat," he said in a mock threatening tone, working up a lather and circling his fingers around her breasts.

He exacted his revenge in slow, teasing movements over every inch of her body. His soapy hands ran down her body and he let out a soft moan as his fingers danced between her legs teasingly.

"Gavin," Nina whispered.

"Hm?" he asked innocently.

She narrowed her eyes. He tickled her ear and straightened up, his fingers still teasing her.

"Now, now," he mocked as she opened her mouth to speak. "After that delightful way you complimented every part of me I deserve the chance to worship you as well."

"You can worship without words," she said in a wavering voice, gasping as his fingers entered her.

Gavin laughed. "Why, Ms. Halleck, I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, raising his eyebrows. His fingers curled up toward her pelvis.

Nina gasped and gripped his arm. He withdrew his fingers and stroked her thighs. She looked at him with a combination of frustration and amusement. Her eyes were heated with arousal but she spoke precisely.

"Gavin," she said, hoping she was saying it the way that seemed to spur him on. "Let me be clear. I want you inside of me in the next five seconds."

She stuck an arm out of the shower to grab the condom she had placed on the vanity and handed it to him, amused at his delighted expression.

"Oh," he said softly. "I see." He grinned. "Turn around and grab the wall, wildcat. I've been thinking about this since two am."

Nina turned instantly and was not rewarded with his entry, but instead got subjected to long moments of torment when he ran his hands over her back and hips. She let out a whimper. Positioning himself at her opening, he entered her agonizingly slowly, the hands on her hips immobilizing her. His jaw clenched when he finished his descent into her and held still, watching her hands grabbing at the tiles, smiling in satisfaction at her groan. He stroked her hips and behind before starting to withdraw just as slowly. He waited, torturing himself as well as her, before he entered her again with a sharp thrust, hearing her squeak in surprise.

"Gavin," she whispered.

He was lost at the sound of his name and began thrusting inside her, holding her steady as her cries increased. She weakened and her arms fell to her sides, her entire body trembling. He wrapped both arms around her to steady her, never changing his speed. He felt her climax begin and let himself go, their cries echoing off the tile.

---

Nina's siblings filtered in over the next few days, the house transitioning quickly from a relatively quiet space to a bustling, noisy, overflowing home. The twins, Lucy and Gabe, had brought three friends with them, and they were all crashing on the floor of the finished basement. The middle brother, Joel, came home alone, and he and Gavin often found themselves together as spectators to the rest of the boisterous Hallecks and their friends. Joel, more reserved than his siblings, seemed to take after their father. Gavin was uncharacteristically quiet, overwhelmed by the crowd but not in a bad way. In awe of their closeness, he felt compelled to observe, as if joining in would keep him from fully appreciating and savoring it.